Stop Overprocessing! Simplification isn’t a shortcut. It’s a strategy.
We Don’t Need More Process. We Need More Clarity.
Overprocessing doesn’t always show up as red tape.
Sometimes, it looks like:
❇️ Too many stakeholders to make a decision
❇️ Endless draft revisions that never get published
❇️ Six layers of sign-off to send a three-line email
❇️ A platform with 42 features and only 5 in use
We tell ourselves we’re being thorough. Careful. Strategic.
But what we’re really doing is getting in our own way.
At Engage3P, we see this pattern everywhere. Especially when teams feel under pressure. The instinct is to add structure, checks, steps, tools, workflows.
But more structure doesn’t mean more clarity. In fact, the more you build around the problem, the harder it is to see the problem.
What Overprocessing Looks Like Across the 3Ps:
People
Teams that can’t move without three approvals. Or second-guess themselves because they’ve been burned for “moving too fast.”
Process
So many rules and checkpoints that momentum dies in the name of “alignment.”
Platform
Tools stacked on top of tools because no one took a step back to ask, What are we actually trying to do here?
Why We Do It (And Why It Backfires)
Overprocessing is usually driven by good intentions:
✅ Protect the business
✅ Reduce risk
✅ Keep everyone aligned
But under the surface, it’s often fueled by fear:
🔴 Fear of making the wrong call
🔴 Fear of not being seen as strategic enough
🔴 Fear of being blamed
And fear rarely leads to clarity. It leads to layers.
The more we layer, the more overwhelmed our teams get.
People spend more time navigating the system than doing the actual work.
My Story: When Process Got in the Way of Real Work
I once had a manager who loved the way I led discovery sessions with clients.
This has always been my superpower — uncovering what’s really going on, what’s getting in the way, and what needs to change.
One day, he came to me and asked me to write down my list of questions. Like it was a script. I told him I couldn’t. That’s not how discovery works. I start with: “Tell me why we’re here today.”
And then we follow the story where it takes us. One question leads to another. I answer with more questions (I’m really good at that). I listen. I adapt. I look for patterns.
I offered to train others. To show them the flow, the why, the nuance behind the process he said he valued. But he didn’t want that. He wanted copy/paste. And when I couldn’t give him that, he got frustrated.
Even though the process he wanted to replicate was only successful because it wasn’t scripted.
That’s overprocessing in a nutshell. Trying to box in something human and clear in the name of control. Clarity Over Complexity. Simplification is one of the boldest leadership tools there is.
Because it takes courage to:
💪🏻 Trust your people to act without a script
💪🏻 Name what’s not working
💪🏻 Remove something instead of adding more
At Engage3P, we help clients rebuild decision flows, strip away outdated processes, and get clear on what really matters.
We don’t just optimize. We eliminate the noise that’s keeping teams stuck.
And when that happens? Energy returns. Ownership rises.
And the work starts to flow again.
Where Is Overprocessing Slowing You Down?
Let’s figure it out together.
Take our quick Momentum Diagnostic to pinpoint where things are getting in your way and what to do next. And schedule a free Strategy Spark Session so we can talk about it together.
